This Thai chicken salad with peanut dressing is quick, easy, and fresh. A great way to use leftover or rotisserie chicken! Ready in about 20 minutes.
This post was originally published on June 16, 2017. I've updated the recipe, photos, and write-up to make it better.
Tender chicken, crunchy cabbage (I used a pre-bagged coleslaw mix), a moreish peanut-lime-ginger dressing, red bell peppers, scallions, and chopped peanuts make for one tasty and flavor-packed salad! This salad is super simple to make, and it's sure to be a hit with the whole family.
This is quite a large salad. I'd say it serves four as an entree, but you could easily feed up to six people depending on how much they eat/if you serve it with something else.
Love cabbage-based salads? Try my Simple Creamy Coleslaw Recipe.
Recipe notes & tips:
- If you don't want to buy pre-bagged coleslaw mix, you can cut up/shred your own cabbage and carrots.
- Cucumber would be a great addition to this salad! I was going to add it but totally forgot (I'd cut it up quite small).
- Want to make this a spicy Thai chicken salad? Try adding some crushed red pepper flakes, cut-up fresh Thai chilis, or some sriracha sauce to the dressing.
- Substitutions: Feel free to swap the scallions with red onions. You can also use a clove of minced garlic instead of the garlic powder if you prefer.
- I use one of my favorite kitchen tools to grate the ginger (it's so much easier to grate when it's frozen!), my Microplane zester/grater.
- Leftovers: This is the type of salad that you can still eat in a day or two (my husband was fine with the leftovers), but I did have one reader mention that the leftovers aren't as good as on day 1 (it became a bit watery/soggy), so you could certainly halve all the ingredients if you don't want any leftovers. Or, make the same amount of dressing and only add half (add the second half when ready to serve batch 2).
More Thai-inspired recipes to try:
If you love Thai food as much as I do, I hope you'll give this easy Thai chicken salad a try!
Questions? Leave me a comment below! As always, tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram so I can see your creations!
Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 pound coleslaw mix
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1/4 cup scallions chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
- Small handful fresh cilantro chopped (optional but recommended)
- Small handful fresh basil sliced thin or torn (optional)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Dressing:
- 5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon pure sesame oil see note
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- 3 tablespoons water or more as needed
Instructions
- Add the dressing ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and whisk together until smooth. Taste and adjust (e.g. add more lime juice or honey). If your dressing comes out really thick (peanut butter brands can vary), add even more water than suggested.
- Prep all the salad ingredients and them add to a large bowl. Toss with the dressing and serve immediately. Season with salt & pepper as needed.
Notes
- You don't need to add the cilantro or basil, but they definitely add extra flavor and freshness.
- Helpful hint: It's much easier to grate ginger when it's frozen. I always keep some fresh ginger in my freezer for when I need it. It also helps reduce waste (I always seem to waste fresh ginger when I don't use it in time!).
- I use the sesame oil found in the Asian section of the grocery store. It's got quite a strong/nutty flavor. It's darker in color and sometimes you'll find it labeled as toasted sesame oil. I just buy whichever brand is in stock.
- Serves 4-6. You may want to halve it if you don't want leftovers.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Beth Johnston says
This salad is delicious! I also added crispy wontons which gave it even more crunch! My husband is picky and he had seconds so that makes it a win at our table! It is very similar to North Star's Citrus Crunch salad but made in my own kitchen! Definitely add the basil and the cilantro to the salad mixture, and add a little extra honey, lime, and water in the dressing! I can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Thank you so much!
Natasha says
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Lynda Appel says
Made this last night for dinner and looking forward to heading home to have some more for lunch! Very tasty, will add it to my rotation. Super fast! I used crunchy peanut butter, because that is what I have, and it worked perfectly. Thank you!
Natasha says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 Thanks for commenting, Lynda!
Susan Murphy says
I made this salad last night and found the dressing too thick. I added more lime and another 3T of water and still too thick with the salad. Might need 9 T water? Or is there another reason it's thick? What brand PB do you use?
Natasha says
Hi! I use Kraft creamy peanut butter (I think it may only be available in Canada). You’re the second person to encounter this issue, so I’m going to put a note in the recipe that more water may be required. The dressing is neither thin nor thick for me. It definitely shouldn’t be as thick as you’re describing, though.
AD says
I made this recently and it was absolutely fantastic! My entire family devoured it. Quick, easy and so, so, GOOD!
Natasha says
Wonderful! Thanks for commenting! 😀
Monica Van Rickley says
Yummy salad. Followed directions exactly. I may have mis-measured, but I feel the dressing came out to thick. I could turn the bowl upside down and it would’ve stuck to the bowl. I wasn’t sure what the consistency was supposed to be, so kept forward with the recipe.
It’s taste was too creamy. Fixed easily enough by adding a touch more of all dressing ingredients less the peanut butter.
I am one of those against cilantro so I used parsley instead. Fresh and delicious 😋
Natasha says
I'm glad you liked it, Monica! Hmmm... the dressing definitely was not that thick for me. Did you add the 3 tablespoons of water? It's possible that you used a different brand of peanut butter that's much thicker, but I am perplexed as to why the dressing was so thick unless you missed something out. Glad you were able to taste and adjust, though!
Emily says
Incredibly delicious and easy to make! Will definitely be making this again.
Natasha says
Wonderful!! Thanks for commenting, Emily! So pleased you liked it. XO
melissa says
made this the other night and it was excellent. i could not find a thai chili pepper so i used a serrano but it seemed to work just fine. great recipe!
Natasha says
Yay!! So happy you liked it.
Cindy says
This looks delicious. This salad caught my eye, and I love the brown sugar in the dressing. Looks perfect for summer. I think you are right, we should not be slaving away in our kitchens. It is darn hot her in Southern California.
Natasha says
Thanks, Cindy! Yeah, lots of places are currently experiencing some extreme heat. 💛
Natasha's Sister says
Can you make this without chicken for me?
Natasha says
No.